Lynn ran his thumb along the edge of the Bloodhound's Fang. To his surprise, the once-razor-sharp blade now had a small chip in it. Melina's dagger was truly something else.
Leaving the dim yellow light of the alleyway far behind, Lynn stowed his weapon and plunged into the bustling night of Orario.
He eventually reached the Adventurer's Guild.
As expected, when he found Eina and explained that while the target—the Star-Tear Crystal—was in hand, the requester had effectively vanished into thin air, Eina's beautiful face was masked with a mix of professional confusion and irritation.
"Lost contact?" She repeatedly tapped on the crystal display in front of her. The commission information sat there in isolation, receiving no further response. "The deposit was paid and the target item was secured, but the person is gone... What on earth is going on?"
Lynn leaned against the counter with a "should've seen it coming" expression and shrugged. "So, I'm guessing I won't be getting that five hundred thousand Valis, right?"
"According to the regulations, if a requester remains out of contact for more than twenty-four hours, the quest can be treated as abandoned. You'll get to keep the deposit, but that's only ten thousand Valis." Eina furrowed her brows, her tone full of apology. "I'm sorry, Lynn. You went on a wild goose chase for almost nothing and encountered such a dangerous situation on top of it."
"It's fine. I didn't walk away empty-handed," Lynn replied, waving his hand dismissively.
His biggest gain was the crystal itself. As for the money, he could always make it back by grinding in the Dungeon for a few rounds.
Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Eina felt a mix of exasperation and amusement, which finally manifested as a helpless sigh. She efficiently wrapped up her work and took off her Guild uniform jacket.
"Let's go. Time to head home. I made stew today."
"Ooh! Now that sounds fantastic!"
Back at their cozy home, the aroma of food dissipated the last traces of the chill lingering on Lynn's body.
After dinner, Eina followed her usual routine, bringing out the medical kit and urging Lynn to let her treat any wounds from the day's adventure. Even though Lynn rarely had visible injuries, Eina insisted on a check-up every time he returned from the Dungeon.
"I know, I know," Lynn grumbled, pulling off his light armor and undershirt.
However, as his shirt slid down, exposing his back and shoulders, the hand holding the medical kit froze in mid-air.
"Lynn... your... your shoulder..." Her voice trembled, carrying a hint of a sob.
Lynn instinctively looked back. Through the mirror on the wall, he saw the wound on his right shoulder.
It wasn't a normal cut or scrape. A thin scar stretched from his collarbone to his shoulder blade. The skin surrounding it was a strange, scorched black, looking as if it had been burned by fire, yet it radiated no heat. Instead, it carried an aura of rot and decay.
"Oh, this?" Lynn poked at the blackened area carelessly. "It's not a big deal."
"Not a big deal?!" Eina's voice spiked. she rushed forward, her eyes instantly welling with tears. "What even is this?! Why... why isn't the healing potion doing anything...!"
She poured a bottle of precious high-grade healing potion onto a cotton ball and carefully dabbed at the wound. However, as the potion touched the scorched skin, it merely let out a faint hiss and was swallowed by that decaying aura. The spread of the wound didn't slow down at all.
Fat tears finally spilled from Eina's eyes, landing on Lynn's back. They felt warm.
"Hey, don't cry..." Lynn suddenly felt flustered. He was used to facing hideous monsters and lethal traps, but he had no idea how to handle a girl crying for him.
He turned around, awkwardly reaching out to wipe her tears, but Eina grabbed his hand.
"Tell me, what exactly happened?!" She looked up, her beautiful eyes filled with fear and helplessness. "I've never seen a wound like this! It's not in any of the Guild records! This isn't something a monster in the Dungeon could do!"
"Aiya, I told you I'm fine." Lynn sighed. He took her cold hands in his and spoke with a tone that brooked no argument. "It's a special kind of curse. Normal medicine won't work. I have a way to deal with it; it just needs some time. Trust me, I'm not going to die."
His gaze was earnest. The calm he had developed after experiencing death countless times possessed a strange persuasiveness.
Eina stared at him blankly. The tears were still flowing, but her panic slowly subsided. She sniffled and wiped her face with the back of her hand, her voice thick with emotion. "You... you promise?"
"I promise," Lynn nodded. "My deity, Hidetaka Miyazaki, is an expert at torturing his followers. A debuff of this level is nothing."
Hearing this familiar yet ridiculous logic, Eina let out a short, tearful laugh. She finally gave him a light, feather-soft punch.
"Idiot! You and your nonsense!"
Late that night, Lynn lay in bed, unable to sleep.
He turned his head, watching the moonlight over Orario through the window, his right hand unconsciously drifting to his left shoulder. The chill left by Destined Death felt like a thorn driven into his soul, a constant reminder—Melina had been there.
And she would return.
"Next time, I will stay longer."
Melina's raspy, calm voice echoed in his mind. Lynn's gaze gradually grew sharp.
This wouldn't do. He couldn't afford to be as carefree as before. Melina's appearance this time had been brief, seemingly due to some sort of restriction, which was the only reason he had managed to hold her off.
But what about next time? If she could stay longer, if she went all out from the very start... could he really block that dagger imbued with Destined Death? Getting stabbed properly by that thing was no joke. He might not even get a chance to revive at a Site of Grace.
He had to get stronger, and fast! Not just to survive in this world, but so that the next time they met, he would have enough strength to stand before her rather than desperately parrying and dodging like he did today.
His leveling speed was already fast, so that left another path to power: equipment.
The most direct way to grow stronger was to upgrade his gear. He didn't have enough Runes to level up yet, but he did have the Smithing-Stone Miner's Bell Bearing he had recently acquired.
Nobody in this world recognized these things, let alone knew how to use them.
"A blacksmith..." Lynn suddenly remembered he hadn't asked Patches about the investigation he'd requested earlier.
Early the next morning, Lynn appeared at Patches' little shop with dark circles under his eyes. He pushed the door open, causing the bell to chime.
A signature bald head immediately popped up from behind the counter. Seeing it was Lynn, the merchant's face instantly broke into a sycophantic grin.
"Ah! If it isn't Lord Lynn! What wind blew you in today?" Patches slid out from behind the counter with an agility that defied his stocky frame. "If you had given me a heads-up, I would have prepared a proper welcome!"
"Cut it out, Patches. Don't pull that crap with me." Lynn waved him off and grabbed a stool. "The matter I asked you to look into—any leads? A blacksmith who can use Smithing Stones to reinforce weapons."
"How could I neglect a task from you, my lord!" Patches straightened his back, looking like he was fishing for credit. "To find a blacksmith capable of using those Smithing Stones, I've turned Orario upside down! I've talked until my throat was raw!"
He let out an exaggerated sigh, poured himself a glass of water to clear his throat, and continued. "As you know, every single blacksmith in Orario only trusts the techniques passed down by their own gods. When I took the stones you gave me to them, hah! Those guys either kicked me out like a con artist or accused me of blaspheming the God of Forging. They almost tied me up to be put on trial."
"Get to the point," Lynn said, tapping the table.
"Here's the point!" Patches grinned, leaning in and lowering his voice. "Almost everyone refused, but there was one place that gave a different reaction."
"Where?"
"The Hephaestus Familia," Patches said, emphasizing every syllable. "I pulled some strings and met Goddess Hephaestus herself. I told her a certain lord had unique ores from another world and wanted someone to forge weapons with them. When other gods and smiths heard that, they thought it was a fairy tale. But Goddess Hephaestus... she wasn't angry. She was interested."
Patches mimicked the scene, his eyes sparkling. "She picked up that Smithing Stone, looked at it for a long time, and then said—'Within this stone, there is an echo that does not belong to this world. Interesting. Tell the owner to come see me.'"
Hephaestus... the Goddess of Forging and Craftsmanship.
Lynn felt a stir in his heart. Going to her was indeed the best choice. As a goddess, her vision and knowledge far exceeded those of mortal smiths. Furthermore, she was world-renowned for her love of forging and her superlative skills; it was only natural for her to be curious about an unprecedented material.
"Good job, Patches." Lynn stood up, pulled a pouch of coins from his storage, and tossed it onto the counter. "This is your reward."
Patches scrambled to catch the pouch, weighing it in his hand. His smile blossomed like a chrysanthemum in full bloom. "Doing business for Lord Lynn is my honor! When are you heading over? Do you need me to lead the way?"
"No need. I'll go myself."
Lynn turned and walked toward the door.
The forge of the Hephaestus Familia was located on the busiest street of the Craftsman's Quarter in Orario. Even before he pushed open the heavy brass doors, a wave of heat—a mixture of charcoal, molten metal, and divine mana—hit him square in the face.
Lynn shook the dust off his clothes. The wound on his right shoulder, grazed by Destined Death yesterday, still felt like a stubborn, cold decay buried deep in his flesh despite the ointment. He needed a stronger weapon—or rather, a blade that could withstand his combat instincts—to face their inevitable second meeting.
He pushed the doors open to find the workshop buzzing with activity. Dozens of apprentices were busy around the furnaces, the rhythmic clink-clank of hammers forming a rugged symphony.
"Is that... Lord Lynn?" An apprentice acting as a guide happened to turn around. Seeing Lynn's face, his eyes lit up as if he were seeing an urban legend. "The one from the Apollo War Game... Please wait a moment, I'll go fetch the Goddess at once!"
Lynn waved his hand, signaling there was no need for a fuss. He walked through the bustling workspace, his eyes quickly drawn to the largest furnace in the center of the hall.
A woman with red hair tied in a sharp ponytail stood before an anvil. She wore a simple white top and black trousers, her apron covered in scorch marks and metal splatters. Those hands, hailed as the hands of the "Goddess of the Forge," swung a heavy hammer. Every strike sent out a visible ripple of mana.
Hephaestus.
She seemed to sense Lynn's approach. Without looking up, she tossed the hammer aside. The heavy tool landed perfectly on its rack with a sharp metallic ring.
"So, you're Lynn?" She turned around, her movements as natural as greeting an old friend. Her single exposed eye was sharp and deep as she sized him up. "That girl Hestia has mentioned you many times. Said there was a brazen Tarnished who refused to leave her Familia's home. After helping her so much, I figured I should eventually meet you."
"Goddess Hestia is too kind. I'm just doing what I must to survive." Lynn smiled and pulled an unremarkable Smithing Stone from his storage. "I have long heard of your great name, Lady Hephaestus. I've come today to ask for a favor."
Hephaestus took the rough stone. She didn't speak immediately, instead turning it over and over to inspect it. She even tapped the surface with a fingernail, tilting her head to listen to the minute vibrations.
After a few seconds, an exceptionally rare look of fervor flashed in her normally calm eye.
"This stone... has living veins," she muttered under her breath, as if she had discovered a new continent. "It's completely different from any ore in Orario. The internal structure is like the solidified product of some kind of law. Interesting... very interesting."
She looked up sharply, staring at Lynn. "That bald guy from before—Patches, was it? You're the one who sent him?"
"Yes. It seems he didn't lie; you really are interested in these things."
"It's surprising that a silver-tongued fellow like that could find such high-quality goods." Hephaestus tossed the stone lightly. "I won't ask where it came from; that's your business. Just tell me—which weapon do you want to reinforce?"
Lynn reached behind him and drew the Bloodhound's Fang. The large curved sword shimmered with a cold silver light under the workshop lamps.
Hephaestus took the weapon, feeling its weight and carefully running her hand along the blade. Her brow furrowed slightly when she felt the small chip, but it quickly smoothed out.
"Good craftsmanship. The weight distribution is unique, but this forging method... it's not from this world at all. No wonder you need this stone to reinforce it." She looked at Lynn and pointed to a bench nearby. "Go sit over there and watch. Don't disturb me."
"Do you need me to help?"
"You? Just keep your hands to yourself." Hephaestus smirked. Her movements were clean and decisive, without a hint of hesitation.
She threw the Smithing Stone into the massive magic furnace. As the flames suddenly surged, a low rumble echoed from within. While monitoring the heat, she spoke to Lynn without looking back.
"Why are you so nervous? Look at your hands, they're shaking. You're not the one doing the hammering."
Lynn was indeed a bit tense. This blade had accompanied him through too many life-and-death moments. To him, it wasn't just equipment; it was the only partner he could truly rely on in this strange world.
"I'm just afraid you'll ruin my sword," Lynn joked.
"Ruin it?" Hephaestus didn't turn around, her voice carrying the absolute confidence of a Goddess of Forging. "On my anvil, it is impossible for a weapon to emerge weaker than it started. Don't measure my skills by the standards of ordinary blacksmiths, kid."
The light within the furnace gradually turned a deep purple. Hephaestus used tongs to pull the glowing Smithing Stone from the forge, placing it on the anvil with lightning speed.
Her forging process completely subverted Lynn's understanding. She didn't perform the traditional repeated folding. Instead, she swung her specialized hammer, with every strike precisely hitting the nodes of mana fluctuation.
"The properties of this stone are very special. It can't be used as the primary material for a weapon because it lacks metallic ductility." Hephaestus analyzed calmly while swinging the hammer. "But it can forcefully lock the original molecular structure of the weapon, reinforcing existing flaws and allowing it to maintain its sharpness longer in battle."
Lynn's eyes widened. Wasn't this just 'reinforcement'? Except here, it was being achieved through this almost violent fusion of mana.
"Watch."
She spread the softened Smithing Stone over the blade like a paste, then began a rapid series of hammer strikes. Each blow created a powerful mana shockwave, causing the blade to absorb that underlying power of laws.
The air in the workshop seemed to distort under the vibration of the hammer. Lynn could feel the dormant power within the Bloodhound's Fang being forcibly awakened by this external force.
"I'm not done yet."
Hephaestus ran a finger along the blade. The faint light seeping from her fingertips guided the remnants of the Smithing Stone into the sword's body. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her face, partially obscured by an eye patch, looked exceptionally focused in the firelight.
"Done."
She suddenly plunged the weapon into a nearby quenching tank.
Ssssssss—!
A sharp, prolonged hiss erupted. The water in the tank instantly vaporized, and a thick white mist obscured the view. Lynn instinctively took a step forward, his heart pounding. It was a level of tension he had never experienced—more nerve-wracking than facing any boss.
"Take it."
Hephaestus threw the cooled Bloodhound's Fang back to Lynn.
[Bloodhound's Fang +1]
Lynn caught it.
His first impression was its sheer sharpness, combined with a tighter, more perfect balance. The tiny scratches and the chip on the blade had vanished, replaced by a flowing, dark pattern that looked like starlight—the marks left by the laws of the Smithing Stone.
Lynn gave it a test swing. A low whistle cut through the air, sharper and cleaner than before.
"How is it? Not ruined, right?" Hephaestus wiped the sweat from her brow, her tone returning to its blunt, straightforward manner.
"It's incredible..." Lynn looked at the Fang in his hand, his eyes filled with disbelief. The tangible sense of the stat increase allowed him to clearly feel that the weapon's attack power had jumped to a new level.
"Do you have more of those stones?" Hephaestus looked at him, her eyes dancing with the joy of someone who had found a new toy. "If you do, bring them. I've never seen a material that can directly alter the rules of a weapon like this."
"Not for now, but there will definitely be more in the future." Lynn stowed the blade and gave Hephaestus a solemn bow. "Thank you, Lady Hephaestus."
"Save it." She waved him off, picking up her hammer to start her next task without another look at him. "Just remember to settle the bill. My labor doesn't come cheap."
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